Advertising for new clients

[Nora]

Hi,
I have been steadily doing massage therapy as a hospice volunteer in a hospital for the past two years and am now starting up my own massage practice. Do you have any tips on how to safely and effectively advertise in local venues?

I do not want anyone calling me who thinks I'm any kind of sex worker because I'm not. I have heard awful stories of that happening to other legitimate massage workers and that would just be embarrassing for me and I would feel bad if I had to file a police report on anyone for that. Plus, I would feel very, very much in danger if I went to anyone's home and they thought I was a sex worker.

However, I do want to advertise well in order to attract the right clients. I have already posted advertisements at the local health food store and the local hospital. Its been 2 weeks and I have not gotten any calls yet. Any ideas/tips? Sorry for the long post.

Thanks,
S

 

[Ahmed]

deleted

 

[Pompal 09.]

Thanks, I like the brochure idea.

Thanks GrateLakes!

I especially apppreciated the link to the discussion of the brochures. Since I am afraid of clients who might miscontrue my services as something else, an educational brochure is a great idea for my case. I have already started to work on one.

-S

 

[Pompal 09.]

suzi, may I ask how your experience working with hospice has been? Is it mostly comfort touch? Do they receive it readily? Do you see that it gives them comfort?.. and one more question (sorry) do you plan on still working with hospice even tho your expanding? thanks..sorry, i just know a lady who recently has hospice coming to her home and was just curious...thank you

 

[Gabby]

Suzy, welcome to MassagePlanetL, and to having your own practice!

I had some of the same concerns when I started out three years ago. I am careful with where & how I advertise, because I do outcalls. However, I quickly learned that if I present myself as a professional doing therapeutic work, confidently and with no concern for the questionable, I am taken as a professional who does therapeutic work. Especially since you have experience in a hospital setting, you should not have much trouble. Highlight your hospital/hospice experience, and also whatever therapeutic work you are ready to do.

I do occasionally get asked if I am afraid of going into a home to massage a man. I simply say no, I know what muscles are tender on almost everyone, I have elbows - no fear is needed. Those who are just checking to see if they could get by with something don't see any reason to think they would.

Trusting your gut is still imperative, though!! Bad vibes mean I say no.

 

[Ajith]

suzi, may I ask how your experience working with hospice has been? Is it mostly comfort touch? Do they receive it readily? Do you see that it gives them comfort?.. and one more question (sorry) do you plan on still working with hospice even tho your expanding? thanks..sorry, i just know a lady who recently has hospice coming to her home and was just curious...thank you

Hi Jacqueline,

No need to apologize! I like to talk about my experience. You are very right. I found that hospice was in a sense a lot of comfort touch. For most of the patients I saw, it was really helpful in relieving a lot of their anxiety and stress. But because a lot of the people you see have been bedridden for quite a well, it also really helps their circulation problems and relieves muscular tension and strain.

About half the people I have found have welcomed a massage. The reasons people may refuse are because they are in too much pain or have swelling or skin irritation. Also, I found that some patients are embarrassed to have someone massage them because of the condition of their body. It also is many cases is not a good idea to give someone a massage if they are a little too out of it but that is something you have to use your intuition and judgement for: for some people it really helps them, for others they are feeling too confused and scared for it to help them and its best to maybe just sit with them for a while or talk to them.

I was a hospice volunteer from 2004 to 2006 so I've already stopped working there. Even though I was a volunteer, I do know that some hospices hire their own massage therapists so maybe the woman you know will be able to request it from her hospice organization. Please feel free to send me a private message if you wanted to discuss anything else about hospice. I hope that the woman you know is doing well and is feeling at peace and cared for.

 

[Maverick]

thanks rose of sharon!

Thanks for the encouragement Rose of Sharon! I am very happy to have found this forum and thank you guys for having this nice place!

 

[Binka]

Advertising for new clients

I do not want anyone calling me who thinks I'm any kind of sex worker because I'm not.

I really don't think you can avoid it if you advertise. Having them call thinking you're a sex worker it not a threat to your safety - having them making the appointment thinking you are a sex worker maybe, but it's usually just a situation to deal with rather than a safety issue. Unfortunately massage and sex work is combined in the mind of some of the public (and it is also confused because of some professionals), you cannot avoid having someone that is confused seeing your advertising, someone will ring up one day. Other than not having them make the call in the first place (extremely limited advertising, which limits all callers, genuine and looking for more than a massage), the next easiest option is to not have them make an appointment. If you screen phone calls well, you can avoid a confused caller making an appointment. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty about not giving soemone an appoointment - there are lots of therapists out there to deal with anyone you decide you don't want to give them an appointment, you're not the only massage therapist available.

The fastest screening tool I use for unkown callers is tell them I've no appointments for at least 48hr - most people looking for something more than a massage are after same day appointments, or at least next day, they will say their schedule doesn't allow them to plan in advance, but there are other therapists that can accomodate them at short notice. Let them know there are no appointments available straight away and you don't have to get into a conversation while they try and figure out if you are just a discrete sex worker or not. Some people looking for a same day appointment are genuine callers, but there are other therapists that they can call.


Some people looking for more than a massage reportedly target new massage therapists to the area, hoping it might be what they are looking for.